Wind sounding device



April 27, 1943. HERTER 2,317,458

WIND SOUNDING DEVICE Filed Nov. 21, 1941 Jwucnh: eory llj/erz ew Patented Apr. 27, 1943 UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE WIND SOUNDING DEVICE George L. Herter, Waseca, Minn.

Application November 21, 1941, Serial No. 420,011

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a wind sounding device and it is an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind for simulating the call of a wild duck or the like.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind including a reed having associated therewith tension means for holding the reed normally flat and at a uniform pressure at all times.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind wherein the tubular body or barrel has tightly fitting in an end portion thereof a plug or stopper, preferably of moistureproof material, to which the reed is held under spring tension.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several part of my improved wind sounding device whereby certain important advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through a wind sounding device constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention, the section being on the line 1-! of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantial- 1y on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawing, the sounding device comprises a tubular member or barrel 1 of desired dimensions and design and the forward or outer portion 2 of the bore of said member or barrel is radially enlarged.

Wedging within the portion 2 of the bore of the member or barrel l is a plug or stopper 3 which is integrally formed with the inner end portion of a bell 4. This bell 4 has its bore disposed outwardly on a slight taper and the plug or stopper 3 has disposed axialy therethrough a relatively large opening 5.

The inserted end of the plug or stopper 3 has integrally formed therewith the inwardly disposed elongated tongue 6 substantially semicircular in cross section and slightly tapering outwardly from one end to the other. 6 is of desired length and is provided in its fiat face a with a longitudinally disposed groove 1 which is in continuity of approximately one-half of the opening 5 in the plug or stopper 3.

The plug or stopper 3 above the free side of the This tongue opening 5 is provided with an outstanding lip'8 having a fiat face b opposed to the flat face a, of the tongue 6 and parallel therewith. The lip 8 is spaced a distance from the inner end portion of the tongue 6 to provide a slot 9 therebetween in which is tightly fitted the inner end portion of a reed R.

As herein embodied, the plug 3, the bell 4, the tongue 6 and the lip 8 constitute an integral structure and are preferably made of a moistureproof plastic to avoid the disadvantages resulting from swelling and drying out if such unit was made from wood or other moisture-absorbing material.

The reed R is made of metal and is of such thickness as to assure the desired vibration thereof. This reed R comprises the elongated and relatively broad vibrating member ill of a length slightly in excess of the length of the groove I. The rear end of the member ID is formed to provide a transversely disposed flange II and this flange H has its outer margin continued by an inwardly directed plate or substantially flat spring [2 terminating in a downwardly and inwardly inclined flange [4 which has close contact with the rear portion of the vibrating member It).

The flange H and plate l2, together with the adjacent rear portion of the member ID, snugly fit within the slot 9 with the flange l4 exerting tension on the member l0, whereby the reed R is firmly held in applied position. It will be obvious that as the user blows through the mouthpiece l5, which is an integral part of the member or barrel l, the reed will be caused to vibrate in a manner to closely simulate the call of a wild duck or kindred game fowl.

It is to be noted that the outer face 0 of the lip 8 is rounded on a curve about the same axis as the outer curved face d of the tongue 6. These curved faces 0 and d are inwardly offset with respect to the adjacent periphery of the plug or stopper 3, so that the tongue 6 and lip 8 will have proper entry within the restricted rear portion of the bore of the member or barrel I.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a wind sounding device constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

I claim:

1. A wind sounding device comprising a tubular member open at both ends, a plug engaging within the outer end portion of the member, a rearwardly directed tongue carried by the plug and having a flat face, said flat face being provided therealong with a groove, the plug having an opening therethrough of which the groove is partly in continuation, a lip carried by the plug and overlying the rear portion of the tongue, said tongue and lip providing a slot therebetween, a reed extending along the flat face of the tongue and over the groove therein, and spring tension means carried by the rear end of the reed for coaction with the lip to hold the reed in place.

2. A wind sounding device comprising a tubular member open at both ends, a plug engaging within the outer end portion of the member, a rearwardly directed tongue carried by the plug and having a flat face, said flat face being provided therealong with a groove, the plug having an opening therethrough of which the groove is partly in continuation, a lip carried by the plug and overlying the rear portion of the tongue, said tongue and lip providing a slot therebetween, a

ieed extending along the flat face of the tongue and over the groove therein, the rear end of the reed being provided with an upstanding flange, and an inwardly directed plate carried by the cuter margin of the flange and continued by a downwardly and inwardly inclined flange for contact with the reed, said first flange and plate, together with the rear portion of the reed, snugly fitting within the slot to cause the second flange to tightly contact the reed to hold the reed in place.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a metallic reed for a wind sounding device comprising an elongated and relatively broad vibrating member, a transversely disposed flange at the rear end of the member, an inwardly directed plate carried by the outer margin of the flange, and an inwardly inclined flange carried by the free extremity of the plate for close contact with the rear portion of the vibrating member.

GEORGE L. HERTER. 

